Eiriavion Oy PIK 20E accident near Hemet, California, July 4, 1983
On July 4, 1983, a Eiriavion Oy PIK 20E (glider), registered N83FU, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hemet, California (Hemet airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 4, 1983
- Place
- Hemet, California · Hemet
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Eiriavion Oy PIK 20E · all PIK 20Es on the register
- Registration
- N83FU · no longer on the register · serial 20280
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT MADE A HARD LANDING OFF THE RUNWAY SURFACE AFTER THE ENGINE LOST POWER DURING A GO-AROUND. THIS WAS A MOTOR GLIDER AND THE PILOT SAID HE PLANNED THIS MISSED APPROACH GO-AROUND MANEUVER PRIOR TO HIS APPROACH. AT ABOUT 400 FT AGL HE APPLIED FULL THROTTLE BUT THE ENGINE WOULD NOT DEVELOP FULL POWER SO THE PILOT ELECTED TO MAKE A 180 DEGREE TURN AND LAND DOWNWIND. THE INITIAL APPROACH WAS TO RWY 22 WITH THE WIND FROM 200 DEGREES AT 10 KTS. UNABLE TO REACH THE RWY FOR LANDING HE LANDED ON THE ARPT IN A ROUGH DIRT GRASS AREA. TOUCHDOWN OCCURRED AT ABOUT 45 KTS AND A WING WAS DRAGGED DURING ROLL-OUT. THE PILOT REPORTED THE CAUSE OF THE ENGINE FAILURE WAS A CLOGGED FUEL FILTER.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 615 hours in all; 25 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 417 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (expired)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 55 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 27, 1983; 54 hours since
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 501 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 3,000 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.